PASADENA—Over 100 local Armenian-American community members gathered for a unique opportunity to meet and welcome the City’s newly appointed Chief of Police, John E. Perez. In attendance were community activists, leaders, guests, friends, supporters, elected officials from the Pasadena area and Top Brass from the Pasadena Police Department. The gathering took place on the evening of Thursday, May 23 at the Hovhannes and Hripsime Jivalagian Youth Center in Pasadena.

This distinctive event, hosted by the Armenian National Committee of America – Pasadena Chapter, presented the public and its community with an intimate opportunity to spend time with Police Chief Perez, familiarize themselves with him, his wife Norma, and his staff. The aim of the event was for community members to gain a further, and deeper, understanding of the services that the Pasadena Police Department provides, and to learn of some of the priority activities and pressing programs that it is currently engaged in.

This lively gathering, which proved to be a joyous, entertaining and memorable affair for all who were in attendance, was opened by Chairwoman Shoghig Yepremian of the ANCA Pasadena Chapter. Yepremian welcomed members and guests, introduced the evening’s dignitaries, and delivered her brief remarks during which she thanked the veteran of the City of Pasadena Police Department, Chief John E. Perez, for his now thirty-four years of service and dedication to its constituency. Continuing on in the evening’s program, Yepremian invited to the podium a longtime friend of Pasadena ANCA, City of Pasadena Manager Steven Mermell, who in his remarks commended the Pasadena ANCA for the critical role it plays in the community and thanked it for organizing such a distinctive event for the Chief and the Police Department.

Mermell welcomed and invited the Chief to the podium to deliver his comments. As event guests enjoyed and dined on refreshments and appetizers, Chief Perez approached the podium and began by introducing his wife Norma to the gathering, as well as recognizing his colleagues from Pasadena Police Department. He then continued by thanking the Pasadena ANCA and reiterating how much he valued and cherished his longstanding relationship with the organization and by extension, the City of Pasadena’s strong and thriving Armenian-American community. Chief Perez commented by commending the Armenian-American community of Pasadena on how far along he felt that they had come, since he was a young rookie officer over thirty-four years ago. He shared how proud he is of the community now and echoed how close he’s always felt to, and welcomed by, it throughout his career.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for Chief Perez to publicly re-present and re-introduce himself to the constituency that he serves and transversely, for the community to have an intimate opportunity to meet and better familiarize themselves with their newly appointed Police Chief and to further orient themselves with their Police Department. We have enjoyed a long and meaningful relationship with Chief Perez over the years and today’s gathering solidifies that connection and sets us both on a solid foundation and on a mutually beneficial and constructive partnership, one established on cooperation and collaboration and reaffirms our shared concern in insuring the safety of and commitment to the betterment of our respective communities” stated Shoghig Yepremian, Chairwoman of the ANCA Pasadena Chapter, Member of the City of Pasadena’s Police Chief’s Community Advisory Council and Chairwoman of the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial.

Among the many distinguished guests who were in attendance included: City of Pasadena Chief of Police John E. Perez and his wife Norma, who were accompanied by several Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants and Officers from the Pasadena Police Department; along with Staff and Representatives from the Offices of United States Congresswoman Judy Chu; California State Senator Anthony Portantino; California State Assemblymember Chris Holden and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Also in attendance were: City of Pasadena Manager Steven Mermell and City Treasurer & Deputy Finance Director Vicken Erganian; Rev. Fr. Boghos Baltayan, Pastor of St. Sarkis Church in Pasadena and Members of the Church’s Board of Trustees; Arman Baghdoyan, Chairman of Armenian Cultural Foundation of Pasadena and Members of its Board of Directors; Shoghig Yepremian, Chairwoman of the ANCA Pasadena Chapter and Members of its Board of Directors; Raffi Kassabian, Vice Chairman of the ANCA Western Region; as well as several Representatives from Pasadena’s preeminent service organizations including: the Armenian Relief Society “Sosse” Chapter; the Hamazkayin “Shahan Shahnour” Chapter; the Homenetmen “Azadamard” Chapter including a number of Scouts from its Scouting Corps; the Armenian Youth Federation “Nigol Touman” Chapter and Pastor Vache Sevajian of the Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church of Pasadena; along with Members of the Pasadena Armenian Police Advisory Council.

“We cannot stress enough, the importance of further developing, fostering and fortifying our relationship with Chief Perez and the Pasadena Police Department and in turn for the Chief and his Department to make lasting and concerted efforts and inroads toward working in closer cooperation and collaboration with us and our community” stated current Pasadena City Commissioner and ANCA Pasadena Chapter Board of Directors Member Boghos (Bo) Patatian. “We were very pleased with tonight’s turnout and were truly impressed to see so many supporters from the community and various local organization representatives attend our event in an effort to show their solidarity, appreciation and support for, and in honor of, Chief Perez and his Department for their consummate service and dedication. The success and magnitude of tonight’s event is a true testament to the level of mutual respect and support that exists between us,” commented Patatian.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Pasadena Chapter is the oldest, largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization of its kind within the City of Pasadena. Founded in 1979, the Pasadena ANCA advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the city’s thriving Armenian-American community and promotes increased civic service and participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.

http://asbarez.com/181214/pasadena-anca-hosts-reception-with-police-chief/